the four horsemen of the apocalypse-第14部分
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The days following the reading of this will were very trying ones for the family。 Elena and her children kept looking at the other group as though they had just waked up； contemplating them in an entirely new light。 They seemed to forget what they were going to receive in their envy of the much larger share of their relatives。
Desnoyers； benevolent and conciliatory； had a plan。 An expert in administrative affairs； he realized that the distribution among the heirs was going to double the expenses without increasing the income。 He was calculating； besides； the complications and disbursements necessary for a judicial division of nine immense ranches； hundreds of thousands of cattle； deposits in the banks； houses in the city； and debts to collect。 Would it not be better for them all to continue living as before？ 。 。 。 Had they not lived most peaceably as a united family？ 。 。 。
The German received this suggestion by drawing himself up haughtily。 No； to each one should be given what was his。 Let each live in his own sphere。 He wished to establish himself in Europe； spending his wealth freely there。 It was necessary for him to return to 〃his world。〃
As they looked squarely at each other； Desnoyers saw an unknown Karl； a Karl whose existence he had never suspected when he was under his protection； timid and servile。 The Frenchman； too； was beginning to see things in a new light。
〃Very well；〃 he assented。 〃Let each take his own。 That seems fair to me。〃
CHAPTER III
THE DESNOYERS FAMILY
The 〃Madariagan succession；〃 as it was called in the language of the legal men interested in prolonging it in order to augment their feeswas divided into two groups； separated by the ocean。 The Desnoyers moved to Buenos Aires。 The Hartrotts moved to Berlin as soon as Karl could sell all the legacy； to re…invest it in lands and industrial enterprises in his own country。
Desnoyers no longer cared to live in the country。 For twenty years； now； he had been the head of an enormous agricultural and stock raising business； overseeing hundreds of men in the various ranches。 The parcelling out of the old man's fortune among Elena and the other legatees had considerably constricted the radius of his authority； and it angered him to see established on the neighboring lands so many foreigners； almost all Germans； who had bought of Karl。 Furthermore； he was getting old； his wife's inheritance amounted to about twenty millions of dollars； and perhaps his brother…in…law was showing the better judgment in returning to Europe。
So he leased some of the plantations； handed over the superintendence of others to those mentioned in the will who considered themselves left…handed members of the familyof which Desnoyers as the Patron received their submissive allegianceand moved to Buenos Aires。
By this move； he was able to keep an eye on his son who continued living a dissipated life without making any headway in his engineering studies。 Then； too； Chichi was now almost a womanher robust development making her look older than she wasand it was not expedient to keep her on the estate to become a rustic senorita like her mother。
Dona Luisa had also tired of ranch life； the social triumphs of her sister making her a little restless。 She was incapable of feeling jealous； but material ambitions made her anxious that her children should not bring up the rear of the procession in which the other grandchildren were cutting such a dashing figure。
During the year； most wonderful reports from Germany were finding their way to the Desnoyers home in the Capital。 〃The aunt from Berlin；〃 as the children called her； kept sending long letters filled with accounts of dances； dinners； hunting parties and titles many high…sounding and military titles；〃our brother； the Colonel；〃 〃our cousin； the Baron；〃 〃our uncle； the Intimate Councillor；〃 〃our great…uncle； the Truly Intimate。〃 All the extravagances of the German social ladder； which incessantly manufactures new titles in order to satisfy the thirst for honors of a people divided into castes； were enumerated with delight by the old Romantica。 She even mentioned her husband's secretary （a nobody） who； through working in the public offices； had acquired the title of Rechnungarath； Councillor of Calculations。 She also referred with much pride to the retired Oberpedell which she had in her house； explaining that that meant 〃Superior Porter。〃
The news about her children was no less glorious。 The oldest was the wise one of the family。 He was devoted to philology and the historical sciences； but his sight was growing weaker all the time because of his omnivorous reading。 Soon he would be a Doctor； and before he was thirty； a Herr Professor。 The mother lamented that he had not military aspirations； considering that his tastes had somewhat distorted the lofty destinies of the family。 Professorships； sciences and literature were more properly the perquisites of the Jews； unable； because of their race； to obtain preferment in the army； but she was trying to console herself by keeping in mind that a celebrated professor could； in time； acquire a social rank almost equal to that of a colonel。
Her other four sons would become officers。 Their father was preparing the ground so that they might enter the Guard or some aristocratic regiment without any of the members being able to vote against their admission。 The two daughters would surely marry； when they had reached a suitable age with officers of the Hussars whose names bore the magic 〃von〃 of petty nobility； haughty and charming gentlemen about whom the daughter of Misia Petrona waxed most enthusiastic。
The establishment of the Hartrotts was in keeping with these new relationships。 In the home in Berlin； the servants wore knee… breeches and white wigs on the nights of great banquets。 Karl had bought an old castle with pointed towers； ghosts in the cellars； and various legends of assassinations； assaults and abductions which enlivened its history in an interesting way。 An architect； decorated with many foreign orders； and bearing the title of 〃Councillor of Construction；〃 was engaged to modernize the mediaeval edifice without sacrificing its terrifying aspect。 The Romantica described in anticipation the receptions in the gloomy salon； the light diffused by electricity； simulating torches； the crackling of the emblazoned hearth with its imitation logs bristling with flames of gas； all the splendor of modern luxury combined with the souvenirs of an epoch of omnipotent nobilitythe best； according to her； in history。 And the hunting parties； the future hunting parties！ 。 。 。 in an annex of sandy and loose soil with pine woods in no way comparable to the rich ground of their native ranch； but which had the honor of being trodden centuries ago by the Princes of Brandenburg； founders of the reigning house of Prussia。 And all this advancement in a single year！ 。 。 。
They had； of course； to compete with other oversea families who had amassed enormous fortunes in the United States； Brazil or the Pacific coast； but these were Germans 〃without lineage；〃 coarse plebeians who were struggling in vain to force themselves into the great world by making donations to the imperial works。 With all their millions； the very most that they could ever hope to attain would be to marry their daughters with ordinary soldiers。 Whilst Karl！ 。 。 。 The relatives of Karl！ 。 。 。 and the Romantica let her pen run on； glorifying a family in whose bosom she fancied she had been born。
From time to time were enclosed with Elena's effusions brief； crisp notes directed to Desnoyers。 The brother…in…law continued giving an account of his operations the same as when living on the ranch under his protection。 But with this deference was now mixed a badly concealed pride； an evident desire to retaliate for his times of voluntary humiliation。 Everything that he was doing was grand and glorious。 He had invested his millions in the industrial enterprises of modern Germany。 He was stockholder of munition factories as big as towns； and of navigation companies launching a ship every half year。 The Emperor was interesting himself in these works； looking benevolently on all those who wished to aid him。 Besides this； Karl was buying land。 At first sight； it seemed foolish to have sold the fertile fields of their inheritance in order to acquire sandy Prussian wastes that yielded only to much artificial fertilizing； but by becoming a land owner； he now belonged to the 〃Agrarian Party；〃 the aristocratic and conservative group par excellence； and thus he was living in two different but equally distinguished worldsthat of the great industrial friends of the Emperor； and that of the Junkers； knights of the countryside； guardians of the old traditions and the supply…source of the officials of the King of Prussia。
On hearing of these social strides； Desnoyers could not but think of the pecuniary sacrifices which they must represent。 He knew Karl's past； for on the ranch； under an impulse of gratitude； the German had one day revealed to the Frenchman the cause of his coming to America。 He was a former officer in the German army； but the desire of living ostentatiously without other resources than his salary； had dragged him into committing such reprehensible acts as abstracting funds belonging to the regiment； incurring debts of honor and paying for them with forged signatures。 These crimes had not been officially prosecuted through consideration of his father's memory； but the members of his division had submitted him to a tribunal of honor。 His brothers and friends had advised him to shoot himself as the only remedy； but he loved life and had fled to South America where； in spite of humiliations； he had finally triumphed。
Wealth effaces the spots of the past even more rapidly than Time。 The news of his fortune on the other side of the ocean made his family give him a warm reception on his first voyage home； introducing him again into their world。 Nobody could remember shameful stories about a few hundred marks concerning a man who was talking about his father…in…law's lands； more extensive than many German principalities。 Now； upon installing himself definitely in his country；
